Various tie-downs have been used to secure cargo on the beds of trucks. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,835,615, utilizes a rope and cinch device to tighten and secure cargo to a flat bed truck.
Tie-down straps are commonly used by fastening each end under the edge of the truck, with the straps positioned over the cargo. Similar tie-down straps are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,697,045 and 4,382,736. In each of these patents, the tie-down straps are secured to one side of the truck bed, positioned over the cargo, and then attached to and tightened by a winch on the opposite side of the truck bed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,844 shows a similar apparatus for securing cargo to a flat bed trailer wherein each which has a crank handle to wind and tighten the straps on all the winches.
Each of the prior art tie-down straps are permanently attached to the cargo bed of the truck or trailer, and are not useful for temporary and storable cargo tie-downs for use with pickup trucks.